Celebration Cinema Studio Park — Attraction in Grand Rapids

Just today I tried to see One Battle After Another at Studio Park with my family. I just had a child so I have to bring my newborn everywhere, but I figured it'd be OK to bring them because my child is so little they don't even know what's going on. But even if they did, as her parent, it's our right to decide what she can and can't see to begin with. Besides, I've seen dozens of newborns and babies at Celebration locations present during rated R movies. Every theatre has security cameras everywhere, even in the theaters themselves, so it's not like they don't know when children under 6 watch rated R movies. They've never cared before. WELL, until TODAY. I bought my tickets online. It took hours to prepare the baby so she'd be fed and quiet during the movies. As mentioned we just had a baby so we can't get out much, so this was a big occasion, finally getting to see a movie we've been anticipating for a long time. But once we arrived, the rude security guard and hoity-toity manager who was probably 20 years old informed us we weren't allowed to take a child under 6 to a rated r movie because of "policy". First of all: why couldn't they be cool and just let it slide? It's not their business to begin with. Second of all: there's no way they don't know or have evidence of all the babies that attend rated R movies at their locations--BUT NOW it's suddenly a problem. Where do these employees get off making me feel like a minor? In what universe are grown adults turned away from a movie by supposed other grown adults? Absurd. Both parents are present. We're talking about a BABY (AGAIN: accompanied by both parents) who doesn't even know what words are and was so sleepy she wouldn't see anything. It's not even like we were taking the baby to SAW. Let me be clear: I'm not unreasonable. I understand policies to make sure five year old kids aren't coming in ALONE/unsupervised to watch R rated movies. Of course. But both parents (obviously well above 21) were present. Needless to say, their policies are ridiculous and they evidently don't enforce them until they randomly see fit so a couple employees who probably aren't even paid enough to care about this can feel superior for a few minutes. Celebration Cinema, Studio Park, or any location under your brand: you have lost my business. I will never, ever attend another Celebration Cinema screening. I've seen countless movies exclusively there for years, but if this is the way they treat people, I'm done. Rude....

I am a hardcore Celebration Cinema loyalist. I see probably 3 movies per month there, at minimum. I've been to almost every location, and while some are newer than others with more modern features, the experience is usually consistent and good.

However, the other night at Studio Park, I witnessed a total failing in customer service that has really turned me off of the brand. To provide a brief rundown: the soda fountains were out of order, and the solution that management came up with was completely classless and inconsiderate. If I was running the theater, to deal with the inconvenience of the broken machines, I would've just handed out complementary bottles of water. Obviously yes, that isn't profitable, but it is just one night until the machines can be fixed, and it at least makes it look like the theater wants its patrons to have a good experience. Instead, the theater was not only charging full price for water, but was charging regular soda fountain prices for CANS. That means 4 dollars... For a can of soda. And while, with a normal fountain drink you could at least get refills, they were not giving out complementary second cans or anything like it. The ultimatum they gave us was to either sit for two hours without a drink, or pay prices effectively double what they would normally charge for the same quantity.

Truthfully, I was shocked by the poor problem solving of the folks running the theater, and the boldness of them to act like this was normal procedure. In any other service environment, I feel like the establishment would make amends by offerings us something (coupons, deals, free drinks, etc.), but instead, the company decided to take it's own problem and burden the customers with it. I like Celebration Cinema because, even while it is a chain, it is at least more local than national theaters like AMC. A while ago, I would've said this made a difference and meant I was more prone to good, reliable service, but I'm not totally sure on that moving forward.

A lot of other folks at the theater last night were noticeably just as upset. I doubt many of them will come back to Studio Park with other...

I am so disappointed in the service I just received. I worked for celebration cinema for 5 years and was one of the first managers who opened this location. Even three years after leaving, I still frequent this theater because I love it and am proud of it! However, I can say the “celebrated service” which we used to pride ourselves on, has left the mindset of the managers here.

On this specific trip to the theater I bought my ticket prior online and ordered food at the theater. An employee who recognized me wanted to practice celebrated service and give me a discount! How kind of them. I however, would never mind paying full price and intended to do so before offered a discount.

Unfortunately, about 3 minutes after making it to my seat, an employee named TJ walked into the theater, stood at the end of my isle - freaking me out - then proceeded to shine his phone flashlight in my face and loudly say “ARE YOU MEGAN?” during the movie. He wasn’t in uniform so I was really confused. He then said, “come with me” and “you got your card?”. He then took me back to the counter and charged me for everything again full price. So I paid twice and didn’t even think to ask for a refund of the first transaction because TJ had lied and said the first transaction didn’t go through. It did.

I never leave bad reviews, but this was just insane. This experience was so unnecessary, unprofessional, awkward and embarrassing for studio park. Ultimately if TJ had an issue with the amazing employee giving me a discount that I didn’t ask for, that should have been handled between them, not taken out on a guest trying to...